CCDF Continues Children's Parade and Celebration Tradition

Young children in
matching blue shirts lined up along Anadarko's Broadway Street.
Many of them waved small American flags and walked as part of the
Child Care Development Fund's 12th annual Week of the Young Child
Parade and Children's Celebration.

Taking place on the
morning of April 26, 2018, the waves of area children, teachers and
a few parents marched the length of Broadway from the former Indian
City Lanes to Oklahoma Street Gym.

"The main intent of the
celebration is a fun day for children to learn by play and as an
appreciation for teachers and caregivers who spend many hours a day
with these children," said CCDF director Kathy Hopen.

The young children in
attendance, ranging from ages 2-6, include Anadarko, Boone-Apache
and Gracemont Public Schools; Anadarko area daycare centers;
Comanche Nation child care programs; and Caddo Nation child care
programs. Hopen said that the combined number of children and
volunteers was 723 people total.

Coming in from the
parade, the Southern Drum sounds of "The Side" greeted the children
when they arrived at the Oklahoma Street Gym. "The Side" is the
Riverside Indian School student drum led by Indian Club advisors
Billy Pewo and Jason Lightfoot.

The featured speaker of
the morning was "Mad Science," who demonstrated child-oriented
science experiments. Following the science presentation, multiple
activities for the children were then available. This includes a
bounce house, the CCDF program's Star Lab portable planetarium,
train rides, a Ferris wheel, petting zoo and pony rides.

Children also had the
chance to play violins, trombones and multiple percussion
instruments courtesy of the Oklahoma City Orchestra League's
"Instrument Playground" program. In addition, McGruff the Crime
Dog, Eddie the Eagle and Daren the D.A.R.E. Lion also paid the
children a visit.

In between activities,
children had a chance to get free goodie bags and educational
information from the following Wichita tribal programs: Food
Distribution, Health Services (CHR/EMS and Chemical
Dependency/Mental Health), RISE, ICW and VOCA.

Tribal programs and
organizations from the surrounding area also set up booths,
including WCD-WIC, Delaware Nation ICW, Washita Valley Community
Action Council, Kiowa Tribe Social Services, Kiowa Child Care
Programs and BIA Police.

Goals for next year
include small group science-oriented hands-on activities, as well
as encouraging more parents in the crowd to cheer on the
children.

"It's great to see early
childhood programs, public schools, parents and community
supporting their children," said Hopen. "When children events
involve parents, teachers and the community, they're able to
respond more easily to the needs of their children. Together we are
better."